The prior art is replete with communication and entertainment systems that provide information in different formats to many users. For example, digital cable and satellite television systems, which are now commonplace, can transmit audio and video content to a single home using hundreds of different channels; the large number of video and music channels can be overwhelming to many users. Instead of a relatively small number of traditional radio and television stations available in major metropolitan markets or via standard cable or satellite systems, users are presented with thousands of possibilities. Never before has there been such a vast selection of alternatives, with broadcasters providing every imaginable permutation for every conceivable area of interest, from mainstream popular music to the most obscure and unlikely niches.
Television viewers often have difficulty searching, locating, viewing, and recording suitable content due to the vast number of available channels and/or content sources. For example, the large quantity of available broadcast stations presents a paradox: while users undoubtedly benefit from the unprecedented number of choices in genre and content which broadcasters provide, they cannot easily and efficiently select from among the hundreds of stations, channels, and/or entities broadcasting a given type of music, video, or program. In addition, viewers cannot identify what is interesting, relevant, or available, or determine other characteristics of the available broadcasts.
Current solutions employed in conjunction with cable television set-top boxes and satellite television decoders typically operate in a primitive manner. These devices usually display information in a text format or by showing every available station or channel in a long list. Due to the limited size and resolution of a television screen display, paging through long lists of channels can be a tedious and frustrating process. While this type of interface may arguably be considered adequate in many current environments, it is unsuitable for systems having a very large number of content providers, stations, and/or channels to choose from.
Accordingly, there is a need in the industry for an effective and intuitive system for locating, identifying, and displaying television programming, which may be provided by multiple information sources and service providers, via a communication network.